Self-Launched Inca Discovery: Lima to Cusco via the Inca Trail
8 days · Peru
G Adventures charges £889
No-markup version: ~£855 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched 8-day version of G Adventures' "Inca Discovery" (trip code PID), covering Lima, Cusco, the Sacred Valley and the classic 4-day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. Instead of a group tour with a CEO and included private vans, you book your own budget guesthouses and hostels, take a domestic flight or long-distance bus between Lima and Cusco, use colectivos and combis for the Sacred Valley, and hike the Inca Trail with a licensed local operator (permits are mandatory and must be booked months ahead — the trail is capped at 500 permits/day and sells out, especially May–September). Costs are approximate GBP backpacker estimates and exclude international flights.
Day-by-day
Arrive Lima — Miraflores & Barranco
Lima
Land at Jorge Chávez International Airport and take an authorised taxi or the Airport Express Lima bus to Miraflores (~£7-9 by taxi, ~£5 by bus). Check into a budget hostel or guesthouse in Miraflores or Barranco. Spend the afternoon walking the Malecón clifftop path, then head to Barranco for street art and a cheap ceviche and pisco sour dinner. Book your Lima–Cusco transport tonight, and if you want a cooking class, reserve a spot on a GetYourGuide or Klook ceviche/pisco class (~£25-55) for tomorrow morning.
🚌Airport Express bus or authorised taxi from LIM to Miraflores (~£5-9)
🛏Budget hostel or guesthouse in Miraflores/Barranco, private room or dorm (£12-20)
- →Malecón clifftop walk
- →Barranco street art wander
- →Ceviche dinner
Lima mornings, fly to Cusco
Cusco
Morning free for a self-booked cooking class or the free Larco Museum garden café area; otherwise explore Plaza de Armas and the catacombs of San Francisco church. In the afternoon fly Lima–Cusco with a low-cost carrier (Sky, JetSMART or LATAM, ~£45-80 one way if booked early; a 21-hour Cruz del Sur bus is ~£20-25 if you prefer overland). Land at ~3,400m — take it very easy: no alcohol, lots of water, coca tea. Check into a guesthouse in the historic centre and eat light. If you skipped the flight, adjust this day to an overnight bus and add a rest day on arrival.
🚌Lima–Cusco domestic flight (~£45-80) or overnight bus (~£20-25)
🛏Guesthouse in Cusco historic centre (£12-20)
- →Lima historic centre wander
- →Cusco acclimatisation evening
- →Coca tea and Plaza de Armas at dusk
Acclimatise in Cusco + Sacred Valley to Ollantaytambo
Ollantaytambo
Pick up your Inca Trail briefing and any rental gear (sleeping bag ~£10, walking poles ~£4, mat ~£10) from your trek operator. Then take a colectivo or shared van from Cusco to Pisac (~£2-3) for the market and hillside ruins, then a combi on to Urubamba and Ollantaytambo (~£3-4 total). For the weaving co-op and pottery experience without a group tour, book a community textile or ceramics workshop directly in Pisac or Chinchero via GetYourGuide (~£20-35). Overnight in Ollantaytambo and explore the town's Inca storehouses and cobbled lanes — a climb up to the Pinkuylluna granaries is free. Eat an early, carb-heavy dinner.
🚌Colectivo Cusco–Pisac (~£2-3), combi Pisac–Urubamba–Ollantaytambo (~£3-4)
🛏Hostal in Ollantaytambo (£12-20)
- →Pisac ruins and market
- →Textile or pottery workshop (self-booked)
- →Pinkuylluna storehouse hike
Inca Trail Day 1 — Km 82 to Wayllabamba
Inca Trail
Your licensed trek operator collects you pre-dawn from Ollantaytambo for the short drive to Km 82 (Piscacucho), the trailhead. Show your passport and permit at the checkpoint — permits are strictly tied to your name and date and cannot be bought on the spot. Day 1 is an easy 12km warm-up along the Urubamba river past the ruins of Llactapata, through Andean villages and into cloud forest, camping at Wayllabamba (~3,000m). Porters carry up to 6-7kg of your gear in a duffel; you carry a daypack. Tip your cook and porters at the end of the trek (budget ~£30-40 in the communal pool).
🚌Operator van Ollantaytambo–Km 82, then hiking
🛏Camping on the trail (tent supplied by trek operator)
- →Inca Trail hike to Wayllabamba
- →Llactapata ruins
- →Camp dinner
Inca Trail Day 2 — Dead Woman's Pass
Inca Trail
The toughest day: a long, steep climb to Warmiwañusca / Dead Woman's Pass at 4,198m, the highest point of the trek. Start early, walk slowly, and drink constantly. Descend to Pacaymayo for camp by early afternoon for rest and a hot meal. Most permits and trek prices include all meals on the trail, so your biggest cost today is the trek itself (already counted in the activities total).
🚌Hiking
🛏Camping at Pacaymayo
- →Dead Woman's Pass (4,198m)
- →Andean cloud-forest descent
Inca Trail Day 3 — Runkurakay, Phuyupatamarca & Wiñay Wayna
Inca Trail
Cross the pass at Runkurakay (~3,950m), then hike through cloud forest to the second pass (~3,700m) with Cordillera Vilcabamba views, down past the terraced ruins of Phuyupatamarca ('town above the clouds') and on to Wiñay Wayna (~2,650m) for the final camp. This is the most scenic day — go slow and take photos.
🚌Hiking
🛏Camping at Wiñay Wayna
- →Runkurakay pass
- →Phuyupatamarca ruins
- →Wiñay Wayna ruins
Sun Gate, Machu Picchu & train to Cusco
Machu Picchu / Cusco
Pre-dawn start to reach Inti Punku, the Sun Gate, for the classic first view of Machu Picchu. Descend into the site — Inca Trail hikers are assigned a circuit (usually Circuit 3, with the Sun Gate panoramic view included) and a two-hour guided walk is included in most trek packages; if not, hire a licensed guide at the gate (~£15-20 shared). Afterwards take the shuttle bus down to Aguas Calientes (~£10) and the Expedition/Vistadome train back to Ollantaytambo (~£45-65, book on PeruRail or Inca Rail — book ahead, trains sell out), then a shared van or bus to Cusco (~£4-6). Check back into your Cusco guesthouse, shower, and eat properly.
🚌Machu Picchu bus (~£10), train Aguas Calientes–Ollantaytambo (~£45-65), van to Cusco (~£4-6)
🛏Guesthouse in Cusco historic centre (£12-20)
- →Sun Gate sunrise
- →Guided Machu Picchu circuit
- →Train through the Urubamba valley
Cusco — Mercado San Pedro & departure
Cusco
A relaxed final morning: breakfast at Mercado San Pedro, browse the artisan workshops of San Blas, and optionally pick up a Cusco cooking class (~£30) or visit Qorikancha (~£3). A taxi to Cusco airport is ~£4-6; if you're flying out of Lima you'll need to connect. If you'd rather add the Rainbow Mountain day hike (~£25-35 with a GetYourGuide tour) or a Sacred Valley bike ride, extend by a day or two.
🚌Taxi to Cusco airport (~£4-6); onward international flight not included
🛏None (departure day) or one extra night (£12-20)
- →Mercado San Pedro
- →San Blas artisan quarter
- →Optional Qorikancha visit
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£855 | £889 |
| Duration | 8 days | 8 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £34 per person (4%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£855
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Self-Launched Inca Discovery: Lima to Cusco via the Inca Trail cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £855 per person for 8 days in Peru. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £889 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £855 — a saving of roughly £34 (4%) per person.
How long is the Peru trip?+
This itinerary runs 8 days, covering 8 day-by-day stops through Peru.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, hiking, culture trip through Peru, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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